Tuesday, December 27, 2016

BIRTH - William Wallace was born July 27, 1844 in Ireland. Per his marriage certificate, his parents were Thomas Wallace and Betty Dickie (or Decker). However, on his Sarawak, Ontario death record his parents were listed as William and Esther which happened to be the first names of his wife's parents. His son, William Wallace, was the informant and we believe he confused his grandparents.

IMMIGRATION - We are not sure of William's immigration year to Canada, On the 1901 census it is listed as 1862 and on the 1911 census 1864 is recorded.

MARRIAGE - On August 1, 1865, William Wallace married Mary Huston in Grey County, Sarawak Township, Ontario, Canada.

FAMILY - William and Mary had 12 known children. From the Canadian Census Reports they were listed as Jane, Mary Ann (George's mother), Hester, Bessie, Esther, Robert, John, William, Sarah, Thomas, Elizabeth and Rachel.

William Wallace and his family are found on the 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 Canadian Census Reports. The family lived in Sawawak, Grey County, Ontario, Canada. The family was Presbyterian and William was listed as a farmer on all the reports.

William WALLACE, 1923 Owen Sound

Photos courtesy of cousin Mary Ellen F.

DEATH - William Wallace died at the age of 85 on October 22, 1929 in Sarawak Township, Ontario, Canada, He was a widow. His causes of death were dilated heart, valve leakage and old age. He was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada.

At this time our research on the Wallace family has concluded. We will continue searching for new leads on the Wallace family from Ireland.

Friday, December 23, 2016

Alexander Whyte and Janet Walker were the parents of Magdalane Whyte, who was born September 6, 1807, and married William Gruer. The birth certificates of Magdalane's twins stated Alexander and Janet Whyte were from Denhead, County of Perth, Scotland,

Alexander was born about 1750 in Newtyle, Angus, Scotland. Janet Walker was also born in Newtyle around 1763. Her father was James Walker and her mother is unknown.

Alexander and Janet were married in Newtyle on January 27, 1788. They had 10 children which included Margaret, Jane, Isobel, Agnes, Christian, Adam, Elisabeth, Magdalane and two children whose names were not recorded on the baptism certificates.

The Whyte Family was associated with clans MacGregor and Lamont. The Walker Family was associated with clans MacGregor, MacMillon, Stewart of Appin and Wallace.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

At this point we have found on various documents the Gruer name also spelled as Grewer and Grewar.

We have no positive information on the births of Alexander Grewer or Flora Paterson.

Alexander Grewar married Flora Paterson on November 2, 1799 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland. All the records we have found spell Paterson with one "t" not the usual Patterson. In researching we found many Paterson families in Scotland at this time.

We are quite positive these are William (Grewer) Gruer's parents as he named his first daughter, Flora, likely after his mother. He, also, named another daughter, Isabella Stewart Gruer, after a brother and sister we found.

We found nine children born to Alexander and Flora. All were born in Dundee, Angus, Scotland.

Alexander Grewer Born September 8, 1800 William Grewer Born August 2, 1802
James Gruar Born April 16, 1805
Stewart Gruar (male) Born December 22, 1807
Flora Gruar Born March 17, 1810
Ann Gruar Born April 10, 1812
Margaret Gruar Born May 31, 1819
Elizabeth Gruar Born October 1, 1821
Stewart Grewer (female) Married James Campbell
on March 12, 1832

The Grewer family was located around Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland since the 11th century. Shorted form of MACGRUER, they were associated with clans Fraser, MacGregor and Lamont. The Coat of Arms is no longer recognized today. They are one of the oldest families in the region. They were noted for their running ability, and their name means either ‘fleet of foot’ or ‘greyhound’. Note the greyhound on the former coat of arms. We will need further research to continue this line.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Mary Ann was the twin sister of our ancestor Elizabeth GRUER (1832-1907). We do not know if they were identical or fraternal twins. They were born 12 May 1832 in Hastings, Sussex, England and were christened 17 March 1833 at St. Clements Croft Congregational Church in Hastings.

Mary Ann had a relationship with William ANDERSON that produced a son, William Gruer ANDERSON in 1855 Scotland. This child remained in Scotland and was reared by his father. The photos of Mary Ann were obtained from William's descendants. On the back of the photo #1 (above) is written, "To my dear Willie from his dear mother, Mrs. Wm Sim, Trinity Square, Toronto, Ontario, December 22, 1879" according to cousin Sherry T. Photo #2 (left) was dated 12 May 1892.

Mary Ann married William SIM (1823-1881) who was the younger brother of our ancestor James SIM (2 brothers married twin sisters). By 1861, they moved to Colborne, Northumberland, Canada. (James and Elizabeth moved there about 1855-56.) William was a baker/confectioner and a tea merchant.

In the 1861 census, they had one child, Sarah Ann SIM-CROWDEN (1853-1886). If this date of birth is correct, she is likely not the biological daughter of Mary Ann.

Between 1861 and 1870, the family had returned to Aberdeen. Sarah married in 1870 in Aberdeen and remained in Scotland.

By 1881, William and Mary Ann were living in Toronto, Ontario. Elizabeth’s daughter Maggie SIM was living in their home in 1881. In August of that year, William passed away of "uremia" or "disease of the kidneys". On his death registry, he was listed as a commercial traveler, so he must have continued with his tea trade while in Canada. He is buried in the Necropolis Cemetery in Toronto and interestingly, the plot was owned by “J SIMS”. James must have helped pay for his burial.

William's obit from the Sim Scrapbook

Mary Ann was still in Toronto for the 1891 census. In 1911, she was living in Elizabeth’s daughter’s (Sarah COX) home in Northumberland.

Mary Ann died 24 November 1916 in Wooler, Ontario, age 84, due to old age and myocardiac gastritis. She is laid to rest next to her twin sister in Salem Cemetery in Colborne. James, Elizabeth and Mary Ann share a gravestone.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

BIRTH - Magdalane Whyte was born September 6, 1807 in Forfarshire, Angus, Scotland. Her father was Alexander Whyte and her mother was Janet Walker.

On the early documents she was listed as Whyte. After her marriage, Whyte changed to White on the records of her children's births. Her first name had been recorded with several different spellings on various documents. However, her birth record stated Magdalane.

MARRIAGE - Magdalane married William Grewer (Gruer) on October 27, 1829 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland. They had at least 11 children which included Flora, twins: Elizabeth and Mary Ann, William, Jesse Magdalen, Isabella, John, Alexander, Daniel, David and James.

England, Wales, Scotland Census Reports:

1841 Age 32 Living with husband and 6 children on Grant Street, Moray, Duffus,
Scotland
1851 Age 43 Living with husband and 7 children and one grandchild on Nether Mill
Street, Aberdeenshire, Aberdour, Scotland
1861 Not listed on census that included her husband, 2 children and one
grand child living on Church Street, Banffshire, Rathven, Scotland
1871 Age 63 Magdalane is living with her husband who is retired and her daughter,
Isabella Stuart, who is 26 and unmarried in Moray, Drainie, Scotland
1881 Age 73 Widow, living at 27 King Street, Moray, Drainie, Scotland
1891 Age 83 Widow, annuitant, living on King Street, Moray, Drainie, Scotland

On September 9, 1888, Magdalane wrote the following in the Sim Scrapbook:

Maggie Gruer Mount Forest, Ont Arrived from Scotland

Signature from the Sim Scrapbook

DEATH - Magdalane Whyte Gruer died on September 3, 1893, age 85, in Branderburgh, Lossiemouth, Scotland.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

BIRTH - On August 2, 1802, William Grewer was born in Dundee, Angus, Scotland. His parents were Alexander Grewer and Flora Paterson. His baptism and marriage records recorded his surname as Grewer. All later documents, including his head stone and children, are listed as Gruer.
MARRIAGE - William Grewer married Magdalane Whyte on October 27, 1829 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland. They had at least 10 children. They have been recorded as Flora, twins: Elizabeth and Mary Ann, William, David, Isabella, John, Alexander, Daniel and James.

OCCUPATION - All records found showed he was in the Royal Coast Guard. The family moved around due to his job in the coast guard.

1832-1834 - He was in the County of Sussex, Hastings, England. Three of his children
were born in England.
1841 Census - He was in Duffus, Haddingtonshire Cty., Scotland.
1844 - His daughter, Isabella, is born in Aberdeenshire, Aberdour, Scotland.
1851 Census - Listed as living in Aberdeenshire, Aberdour, Scotland.
1861 Census - He was in Banffshire, Rathven, Scotland.
1871 Census - He was retired and lived at Moray, Branderburg, Scotland.

HONORS - On December 19, 1855, he was awarded the silver medal from the National Lifeboat Institution for his gallant conduct in swimming to the rescue of the master of the schooner, Thor, that had shipwrecked.

From January 1, 1856, The Illustrated London News, Vol. 27﻿

“Preservation of Life from
Shipwreck – On Thursday a meeting of the Royal National Life boat Institution
was held at the society’s house, John-street, Adelphi, Thomas CHAPMAN, Esq. in
the chair.Mr. LEWIS, the secretary,
having read the minutes of the previous meeting, the silver medal of the
institution was voted to Mr. William GRUER, of Lossiemouth Coast-guard Station,
in testimony of his gallant conduct in swimming to the rescue of the master of
the schooner THOR, when he found, notwithstanding that his vessel was going to
pieces, in a state of incredulity having locked himself in his cabin.”

This is what the medal looked like:

ORGANIZATIONS - He was a charter member of the Braemer Royal Highland Society. This society raised funds to help members during times of sickness, pay for funerals and set up annuities for widows. He was, also, a member of the Braemer Club of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. This curling club still exists today.

RETIREMENT - William Gruer was discharged from the coast guard on February 28, 1863 from the Buckie Station. He was the Chief Boatman in Charge. The reason was listed as "super" which means superannuation, a way to save for retirement.

DEATH - William Gruer died in Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland on September 3, 1878
at the age of 77. He was buried in Kinneddar Cemetery in Lossiemouth, Scotland.